Rural mail box



Oct. 26, 1937. v r F. VANDEVELDE 2,097,110

RURAL MAIL BOX Filed Aug. 13, 1936 4 sheets-sheet? If Z,

Z? J l l .2222 FZzuZeaaZJe 4/ w am I A itomeys Oct. 26, 1937.

F'. VANDEVELDE RURAL MAIL BOX Filed Aug. 13, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 v Inventor 0a. 26, 1937. F. V ANDEVELDE 2, 97,110

RURAL MAIL ox Filed Aug. 13, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4".

fizzlt Erua'via M w 16ml Attorneys Inventor Patented Get. 26, 1937 rates PATENT rile.v

2 Claims.

My invention relates generally to rural mail boxes, and particularly to a mail box of this character involving superiority in structure and operation, whereby the delivery of the mail is facilitated, the mail more completely protected against the weather after delivery, and wherein means is provided for gaining easy access to the interior thereof for removing delivered mail, and an important object of my invention is to provide a simple, practical, and efficient arrangement of the character indicated.

Another important object of my invention is to provide in a mail box structure of the character indicated a novel and superior arrangement and construction of mail flag.

Other important objects of my invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a general side elevational view of the embodiment showing the topin closed position.

Figure 2 is a front elevational View of the mail box.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through Figure 2 and showing the cover in open position in dotted lines.

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the mail flag.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional View taken through Figure 2 and looking downwardly into the interior of the mail box.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the operating yoke for operating the cover.

Figure '7 is a group perspective view of the parts forming the mail flag.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the mail flag mounting tube.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the coin receiving cup.

Figure 10 is a longitudinal sectional view showing in detail the mounting of the mail flag on pedestal or post 6 as indicated in Figure '3. At one side of the bottom near one end of the'casing is the coin receiving cup it. The front wall H has therein an opening l2 in which a door l3, hinged at its lower end as indicated by the nu- 5 meral M on the lower side of the opening, is mounted in conjunction with a spring hand retractible flange I5 which has a keeper I6 mounted on the wall H above the upper side of the opening l2, to provide easy access into the in- 0 terior of the casing. A curved apron 'fl'l' fastened as indicated by the numeral it to the bottom 8 has its upper end located justbelow the lower edge of the opening l2 as shown in Figures 3 and5.

The upper edgesoi the walls H and I9 are beveled or slightly curved as indicated by the numerals 2t and 2i to slidably mount the arcuate cross section cover which is generally designated 22 and which is preferably formed of 2 metal including depending flanges 23 on its opposite ends for loose sliding engagement with the end walls of the casing 1.

At each end of the casing l is a pivot 24 on which are pivoted the lower ends of the arms 25 25 and 26 which have their upper ends connected as indicated by the numerals 27 and 233, respectively, to the corresponding flange 23 at spaced points thereof, so as to form a suitable mounting enabling swinging the cover 22 into and out of the 30 open and closed positions illustrated in Figure 3.

A combined operating yoke and retainer 29 shown in detail in Figure 6 comprises the bight portion 30 which has the reduced upper side 3| approximately the width of the front of the cas- 35 ing 1, and the arms 32 and 33 which are formed at their outer ends to receive the respective pivots 28, 28. The arms 32 and 33 are of such a length that while the cover 22 is in the closed position the bight portion 30 will underlie the 40 front edge of the casing as illustrated in Figure 3 whereby the cover is positively held in closed position. Swinging the bight forwardly from the position shown in Figures 1 and 3 will free the operating member so that it may be swung far- 45 ther upwardly into the position illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 3, wherein the cover 22 will be in the fully opened position. In this fully opened position the bight portion of the operating member will engage the front wall H of the casing and prevent the cover from swinging too far rearwardly. To close theicover from the fully opened position it is only necessary to move the operating member forwardly and then down-,

wardly and into the locking position mentioned.

The mail flag which is generally designated 34 comprises the pennant 35 which is riveted or otherwise suitably secured as indicated by the numeral 36 to one side of the mast section 31, and the said mast section 31 has a cut away portion 38 which is complementary to a cut away portion 39 on the lower mast section 40. The lower mast section 40 has a flattened part 4| provided with bolt or screw receiving holes 42 which receive the screws or bolts 43 for fastening the part 4| to the outer side of the corresponding flange 23 of the cover 22. The flattened part 4| has a vertical extension 44 arranged to be re-.

ceived in the slot 45 in the assembling tube 46 which is given a frictional fit on the rounded portions of the mast sections. A pivot 4'! traverses the holes 48 and 49 in the lower and upper ends of the mast sections 40 and 31 to pivot the reduced'portions thereof together so that the pennant 35 may be raised to the upper position illustratedin the drawings or depressed to the inoperative position; while the tube 45 is in the depressed position in which it is shown in Figure ,4. However, when this sleeve or tube 46 is in ihe elevated position illustrated in Figures 3 and 1, it covers the joint formed by the pivot 4'! and keeps the pennant erect in the operative position. In order to keep the tube 46 in the elevated operative position it is raised so that the slot 45 disengages from the projection 44 whereupon the tube is turned around to the position illustrated in Figures 3 and 1 wherein the lower edge of the sleeve is engaged by the-upper end of the projection 44.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire to 'limit the application of the invention thereto,

forming to said arcuate portion, means mounting said cover for swinging on a horizontal axis through an eccentric are relative to the top of the casing, operating means, operatively connected with said cover for swinging said cover from open to closed position and vice versa, said operating means including a retaining portion for engaging a part of the casing to hold the cover in either an open or a closed position.

2. 'A mail box of the character described com prising a casing adapted for mounting on a pedestal or the like and having an apertured arcuate top portion, an arcuate cover slidably engaged with said arcuate portion for movement from and to a position over the aperture to open and close the latter, means pivotally mounting said cover for swinging on a horizontal axis through an eccentric are relative to the top of the casing, operating means operatively connected with isaid cover for swinging said cover from open to closed position and vice versa, said operating means including a retaining portion for engaging a part of the casing to hold the cover in either an open or a closed position, and a mail flag mounted on said cover.

FELIX VANDEVELDE. 

